Star Community Newspapers in Plano, Texas, reported that police this past month started receiving reports of a national scam hitting the city: thieves snagging PIN codes and accessing fast cash. Jerry Minton, Plano forgery and fraud detective, told Star Community Newspapers that 45 cases are currently being investigated. The scam has affected people nationwide, too,

Mars Inc. said it has become the first confectionery company in the U.S. to voluntarily implement Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) nutrition labeling on all of its chocolate, non-chocolate confectionery and other food products. The company said all of its packages will be redesigned to feature new graphics on the front and back of packages, offering

A United Cooperative Cenex store in Poynette, Wis., is giving free gift cards to 85 customers who purchase at least 8.5 gallons of E85 fuel on Oct. 25. The company said the giveaway is part of a statewide initiative to recognize “ethanol’s positive affect on Wisconsin’s economy, the air we breathe, and reducing our dependence

ConocoPhillips and Penn State have awarded the first ConocoPhillips Energy Prize to David A. Gonzales II to further develop the “Layered MagWheel,” a new technology that provides magnetic acceleration and frictionless braking for vehicles and ultimately increases energy conversion and efficiency. This year marks the inaugural year of the ConocoPhillips Energy Prize, which recognizes

A jury in Cherokee County, Ga., has found a convenience store owner guilty of supplying precursor chemicals that could be used to make methamphetamine, according to newspapers and the district attorney in that area. Patricia Ramsey Jenkins, 59, of Collinsville, was found guilty on 10 felony counts of supplying chemicals with the knowledge that they

Sam’s Club has begun selling snack foods in pre-packaged displays that come retail-ready, the In-Store Marketing Institute reported. Club chains have merchandised retail-ready displays in the past, but the current POP program represents Sam’s Club’s energized efforts to appeal to c-store owners, which senior vice president of merchandising Michael Heintzman outlined at the NACS show

A former petroleum industry worker near has been accused of stealing gas by using a key to open up the gas pump and punch in a code to activate the machine’s maintenance mode, The Jamestown Sun in Jamestown, N.D., reported. Authorities say Roger Smith Jr., of Fargo, has been charged with misdemeanor theft for the

Portland, Ore.-based Boyd Coffee Company said it’s introducing a line of cappuccino dry mix products that are free of trans fat. The trans fat free cappuccino mixes will be available November 2008. Campaigns by several public federal agencies over recent years have focused public attention on health issues related to the consumption of trans fats.

Rutter’s Farm Stores said it’s opening a new convenience store on Oct. 17 in York Township in York County, Pa. The new store design is more environmentally friendly, with a white roof that will keep the building cooler and cut down on energy demand. The store’s aesthetics include open ceilings, floor and wall tiles and

The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC) said the number of E85 stations in the U.S. has reached 1,802 – a 28% increase since October 2007. The total includes 1,693 public refueling stations, while the rest are private sites. “It’s exciting to see E85 stations grow so rapidly within the past year,” National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition

Arby’s Restaurant Group said it has promoted several key executives to the new leadership team after the company’s parent, Triarc, saw a successful merger with the Wendy’s fast-food brand. Wendy’s/Arby’s Group President and CEO Roland Smith said the new team has “vast knowledge” in the fast-food industry, as well as proven experience at Arby’s. “I

Leading convenience retailer Sheetz is looking to Teradata Corporation to create a enterprise data warehouse (EDW) to help it better manage its data operations. Sheetz also ordered Teradata’s Warehouse Miner for advanced analytics, which will enable data-mining technology from multiple vendors to be embedded and run within Teradata’s EDW. Teradata said Sheetz recognized the need

For the second year in a row, Rutter’s Farm Stores made the list of the Top 50 Fastest-Growing Companies in central Pennsylvania, as ranked by the Central Penn Business Journal. Based on nearly 38% revenue growth over a two-year period, Rutter’s ranked No. 16 among the 50 companies. The company was No. 10 on the

Philadelphia, Pa.-based Sunoco Inc. said it’s making several changes in the roles and responsibilities of key members of its senior leadership team, including the retirements of two employees. Sunoco CEO and President Lynn Elsenhans said the changes are a reflection of Sunoco’s “commitment to build a better, stronger organization as we face unprecedented challenges in

Kraft Foodservice is offering the Philly Express Holiday Sweepstakes, a PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese promotion offering catering operators a chance to win a trip to Chicago for a culinary innovation session with Kraft chefs. The sweepstakes, which has a $5,000 value, also includes up to $250 in rebates and rewards, as well as 15 unique catering

By Brian L. Milne, Refined Fuels Editor for DTN Retail operators continue to dial down gasoline and diesel fuel prices at pumps across the country, as a full blown sell-off in the financial oil market amid the credit freeze and anticipation that the country, and indeed many economies around the globe will fall into a

A crowd at a Sheetz store in Altoona, Pa., on Saturday crossed paths with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin when she made a stop at the c-store en route to Philadelphia, The Altoona Mirror reported. The GOP vice presidential candidate stopped at the store after a Saturday morning rally in Johnstown, Pa., the newspaper said. Palin

Sanford, N.C.-based c-store operator The Pantry Inc. said it expects its earnings per share for the fiscal year ending Sept. 25, 2008, to exceed its earnings of $1.17 per share from fiscal year 2007. For this past year, the company’s merchandise and retail gasoline sales are expected to be approximately $1.64 billion and 2.1 billion

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market said a $13 million solar panel installation at its California distribution center is generating nearly 75% of the energy at the 500,000-square-foot facility. “In a time of rising energy costs, solar power is helping ease the grocer’s energy bills and helping keep Fresh & Easy’s prices affordable,” the retailer said.

Cadbury North America said certain flavors of its Trident, Dentyne Ice and Stride sugar-free chewing gum brands have been granted the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Seal of Acceptance in recognition of the gums’ ability to help prevent cavities by strengthening teeth and reducing plaque acids. The ADA Seal was granted to the gums following an

CITGO Petroleum Corporation said it was the sponsor of a series of cultural events that took place over the weekend in different parts of the U.S. that highlighted the Venezuelan and Hispanic cultures. The events included concerts by the internationally acclaimed Venezuelan folk music group, Serenata Guayanesa, in New York City and Tampa, Fla., performances

Distribution and retail software solutions provider Retalix said McLane Company is planning to use the Retalix Traffic Management solution for 19 grocery distribution centers in the U.S. Retalix Traffic Management is a comprehensive inbound freight management solution that interfaces with Retalix and other procurement and warehouse management applications. Orders are imported into the system and

Enhanced Driver’s Licenses being issued by the State of New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles are lacking bar codes that can be read by the lottery machines that most convenience stores use to help verify ages of tobacco or alcohol purchasers. The New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS) said some of its member retailers

Rutter’s Farm Stores is expanding into a sixth central-Pennsylvania county with the opening of a new store opens in Swatara Township in Dauphin County, Pa. It’s the first Dauphin County location for the York County-based retailer. “We’re really thrilled to be a part of Dauphin County and to bring our family-owned business to Swatara Township,

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